Tsun-Kong (T.K.) Sham
Contact Information
Title: Distinguished University Professor
Office: Rm 030A ChB,
Lab: Rm 030C, 032, 042, 125
Phone (Office): ext 86341
Phone (Lab): 86297
E-mail: tsham@uwo.ca
Physical & Analytical Teaching Division
Materials: Design, Function and Characterization
Electronic Structure, Synchrotron Spectroscopy and Energy Materials
Education
B.Sc. Chinese University of Hong Kong 1971; Ph.D. University of Western Ontario, 1975
AWARDS
- Chemical Institute of Canada CIC Medal (2025)
- Nano Ontario Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award (2024)
- Chemical Institute of Canada Montreal Medal (2023)
- Allen Pratt Award, Canadian Light Source (2018)
- Hellmuth Prize, Western University (2017)
- Officer of Order of Canada (2016)
- Distinguished University Professor, Western University (2015)
- Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (2012)
- Canada Research Chair in Materials and Synchrotron Radiation(2002-23)
- The Canadian Society for Chemistry John C. Polanyi Award (2010)
- Distinguished Research Professor, Western (2005)
- Award of Merit of The Federation of Chinese Canadian Professionals (Ontario) (2004)
- Florence Bucke Science Prize, Faculty of Science, Western (1994)
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Visiting Professor (Institute of Molecular Science, 1992, Hiroshima University, 1998)
RESEARCH
Materials and Synchrotron Radiation
Dr. Sham’s research interests are materials and the development and application of synchrotron capabilities, especially for materials design, and electronic structure-functionality correlation. Expertise includes nanomaterial synthesis, bimetallic and semiconductor materials, surface and interface, photoemission, X-ray absorption, photon-in photon-out techniques (X-ray emission, X-ray excited optical luminescence, resonant and non-resonant inelastic X-ray scattering) and X-ray microscopy. Recent interests are nanostructure phase transition, nano-heterostructures, bimetallic and multi-element nanoalloys, and nanocomposites, in situ/operando synchrotron studies of energy devices (batteries, fuel cells, catalysis and light emission), X-ray excited optical luminescence in the energy and time domain, nanomaterials for drug delivery, microbeam analysis of tissues, and cultural heritage materials.
Major ongoing thrusts are (1) synthesis, assembly and characterization of nanomaterials, heterostructures and composites in the nanodomain; (2) development and applications of synchrotron capabilities at the Canadian Light Source, a national facility in Saskatoon and the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory.
Dr Sham has engaged over one hundred Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP) at all levels (PhD, MSc, BSc, PDF, visiting scientists and collaborators) in research. Many are now holding key positions in academia, industry, and government in Canada and aboard.
Professional Activities:
Director, Canadian Synchrotron Radiation Facility in Synchrotron Radiation Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison (1999-2008). Director Soochow University-Western University Centre for Synchrotron Radiation Research (2012-2023); Beam team Leader, Canadian Light Source (2000- ); Co-organizer, Synchrotron Radiation Symposium at Pacifichemm2020 &2025, Honolulu; Chair, Ontario Synchrotron Consortium (2006 - ); Member, Board of Directors of the Canadian Light Source (2001-2006); Chair, International X-ray Absorption Society (IXAS) (2003-2006). Member, Board of Trustees of the Canadian Institute for Synchrotron Radiation (CISR) (2024-), co-Chair, Long Range Plan for Canadian synchrotron research for the next 15 years and beyond (2024-2027).
TEACHING
- 1302A/B - Discovering Chemical Energetics
- 2384B - Microscopic Phenomena
- 2274A - Physical Chemistry I: Thermodynamics and Kinetics
- 3364B - Physical Chemistry of Materials
- 9774Q - Synchrotron and Materials I
- 9784S - Synchrotron and Materials II
PUBLICATIONS
- “Cobalt-Doped Pd@Pt Core–Shell Nanoparticles: A Correlative Study of Electronic Structure and Catalytic Activity in ORR” A. Feizabadi, J. Chen, M. N. Banis, Y. M. Yiu, L. Zhang, X. Sun, T.-K. Sham. Journal of Physical. Chemistry. C 2023, 127, 38, 18843–18854.
- “Atomically Dispersed Mg–N–C Material Supported Highly Crystalline Pt3Mg Nanoalloys for Efficient Oxygen Reduction Reaction “J. Xu, K. Feng, C. Lu, X. Wang, J. Chen, Z. Wang, J. Zhong, Y. Huang, T.-K. Sham Journal of Physical Chemistry Letter. 2023, 14, 37, 8296–8305.
- “A family of oxychloride amorphous solid electrolytes for long-cycling all-solid-state lithium batteries” S. Zhang, F. Zhao, J. Chen, J. Fu, J. Luo, S. H. Alahakoon, L.-Y. Chang, R. Feng, M. Shakouri, J. Liang, Y. Zhao, X. Li, L. He, Y. Huang, T.-K. Sham, X. Sun, Nature Communications 2023, 14, 3780.
- “Superionic conducting halide frameworks enabled by interface-bonded halides” J. Fu, S. Wang, J. Liang, S. H Alahakoon, J. Luo, H. Duan, S. Zhang, F. Zhao, W. Li, M. Li, X. Hao, X. Li, J. Chen, N. Chen, G. King, L.-Y. Chang, R., Y. Huang, T.-K. Sham, Y. Mo, X. Sun, Journal of American Chemical Society, 145, 2183-2194 (2023).
- “Unveiling the Local Structure and Electronic Properties of PdBi Surface Alloy for Selective Hydrogenation of Propyne” X. Wang, M. Chu, M. Wang, Q. Zhong, J. Chen, Z. Wang, M. Cao, H. Yang, T. Cheng, J. Chen, T.-K. Sham, Q. Zhang, ACS Nano 16 16869-16879 (2022).
- “Retrieving tarnished daguerreotype image using X-ray fluorescence imaging – recent observations on the effect of electrochemical and chemical cleaning methods” A. Stark, F. Filice, J. Noël, R. R. Martin, T.-K. Sham, Y. Zou Finfrock and S. M. Heald, Heritage, 3(3), 1035-1045, (2021).
